What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was on cross-country from calif. To tenn. He entered Prescott traffic area and was cleared to land on rwy 21R using RH traffic. Prior to entering downwind the tower requested he change to LH traffic for runway 21L. He proceeded to cross over the top of the runway and followed other traffic for runway 21L. He flew normal base and final. He states that he had a good landing on rwy 21L and he figures the touch down was at airspeed of 65 knots. The main landing gear touched down first & then nose gear. When aircraft slowed and nose gear contacted ground he applied brakes and the nose wheel began vibrating. He braked harder and nose swerved violently left and right. Then the aircraft swerved hard to the left. A/c departed runway off the left hand side and nose gear collapsed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS ON CROSS-COUNTRY FROM CALIF. TO TENN. HE ENTERED PRESCOTT TRAFFIC AREA AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 21R USING RH TRAFFIC. PRIOR TO ENTERING DOWNWIND THE TOWER REQUESTED HE CHANGE TO LH TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 21L. HE PROCEEDED TO CROSS OVER THE TOP OF THE RUNWAY AND FOLLOWED OTHER TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 21L. HE FLEW NORMAL BASE AND FINAL. HE STATES THAT HE HAD A GOOD LANDING ON RWY 21L AND HE FIGURES THE TOUCH DOWN WAS AT AIRSPEED OF 65 KNOTS. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHED DOWN FIRST & THEN NOSE GEAR. WHEN AIRCRAFT SLOWED AND NOSE GEAR CONTACTED GROUND HE APPLIED BRAKES AND THE NOSE WHEEL BEGAN VIBRATING. HE BRAKED HARDER AND NOSE SWERVED VIOLENTLY LEFT AND RIGHT. THEN THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED HARD TO THE LEFT. A/C DEPARTED RUNWAY OFF THE LEFT HAND SIDE AND NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.